Kingdom Hearts: The Forgotten Heart
by queenzelda01
Summary: Riku & King Sonic are looking for the sleeping Unicornian Princess. She seems to be the key to keeping the light in the galaxy in balance; but the villain in the story hounding the Princess is making things difficult for her protector Shadow the Hedgehog. [OC's/Sonic characters in place of Disney ones/KH characters/Pokemon]


NOTE: With this fan fiction that I wrote; Sonic the Hedgehog is King instead of it being Mickey Mouse. Kingdom Hearts is (c) to SquareEnix along with any characters, locations, Final Fantasy, or KH character named that are used. Same song & dance for the SEGA and any other characters in my fan fiction as well. This fan fiction is just for fun: NOT profit. Also if you think you see yourself in a character DON'T as all of the oc characters in this are ones I came up with a long time ago. Thank you & I hope you enjoy the read.

 **Kingdom Hearts: The Forgotten Heart**

A young dark haired woman is seen asleep in a chamber deep underground; she is wearing a white sleeveless silk dress, with bit of gold encrusted on the top. A symbol of the triforce resonates with her breathing on her forehead as a mysterious young man watches over her closely. The mysterious young man is wearing an all black Organization 13 outfit, and his eyes are blinded with a blind fold. His black hair reaching all the way down to the small of his back. "Do you think she knows she's in a dream world?" A mysterious male voice asked him from behind as the man in front of the woman's chamber only laughs a little to say; "No, to her the world of sleep is as real as our world is." The other voice, which was a bit deeper then the young man's who stood in front of the chamber says; "Humph, we all have a story to tell & in time, it'll be time for her to awaken & tell her's." The young man with long black hair shook his head & said; "No, it's not time yet.. She's yet to awaken to the fact that she's in a dream world. When she comes to realize that, then her story can unfold."

"Humph, that time maybe sooner then you think.. The King sent him to come looking for her to wake her up. You know he'll do it, those two have a history of sorts."

The dark haired man just nods & says; "Then I'll just have to leave a little something for her when he arrives to come & find her.." He says to place a data disc inside of the computer next to where the young woman slept. "There.." He grinned, "Now that should make interesting for him. Because when he wakens her, he'll have a quandary on his hands." With a grin he nods & says looking to the man behind him; "Alright, let's get going. There's a lot to do."

"You and your games. One day she'll see through them you know." The strange man all in silver told him with a silver blind over his face. The man with the long dark hair says looking back at the woman sleeping in the chamber just chuckles lightly to say; "I'll worry about that when the time comes. For now, let's go."

The other taller & obviously older man nods & waits for the younger man to lead the way out from the sleeping chambers hidden underneath the Manson in Twilight Town.

 **Chapter One** : Riku arrives

Riku arrived at the entrance to Twilight Town & he looked down at King Sonic to ask him; "What do you mean that some one important is sleeping here?" Riku had no clear idea what King Sonic was saying to him, but Sonic only sighed deeply & says to curl one of his spines in his right finger for a minute to say; "Look, Riku listen.. Some one very important is asleep in the town here. I need you to find her & wake her up. She's very important; she knows who the new Organization Members are & who their new leader is. You have a past with her that they made you forget when you came after me through the door to light. Look, just trust me.. She has to be found.. Here.. Tails built this to help locate her, it's tuned to her light energy & since she's a triforce wielder it'll pick up on her pretty quickly. Tails will catch up & help to look for her as soon as he gets the gummy ship fixed.. To bad it broke down just as we arrived here." Sonic sighed. Smiling he looks to Riku to say; "Come on, let's start looking." As he turns Tails invention on & it starts to beep & then shows the location of where they are compared to the location of where the device is picking up the signal from the triforce wielder. "Works first time around, wow I'm pretty impressed." Riku says taking the device from Sonic who just smiles & says; "Well of course, this is Tails that were talking about, he's a genius remember?" ;3 Riku only rolls his eyes & sighs to say; "Come on; we should follow where this is leading us.." As he looked down at the reading for the device he saw that it was leading towards the norther part of town. "That way!" Riku says pointing forwards; "Let's go!" Taking the lead Riku lead Sonic into Twilight Town, heading past some of the shops, they both made it to the steps of the next area that lead into an offshoot, that lead them back into the area where the Mansion was located, following the device through the park eventually Riku & Sonic made it to the Mansion.

 **[1]**

Once they arrived at the Mansion, Sonic took out his golden keyblade & opened the barred gate that greeted them only to have a heartless(?) attack them. The heartless looked more like a floating chandelier except that it had eyes, and a purple flame. Fighting against the heartless(?) Riku & King Sonic defeated it using a unite attack. Sonic raced at Riku & Riku caught him on his keyblade to fling Sonic at the heartless(?) keyblade going right through the center of the creature making it fall over with swirls on it's eyes. When the battle was over, Sonic & Riku went over to look at the monster to check it out, but a red light came from no where & the monster disappeared with out any further explanation. "What's going on here? Was that a heartless?" Riku asked looking to Sonic. Sonic just shook his head & said; "I don't know, I've never seen any heartless that looks quite like what we fight against. Come on let's head on in & see what we can find out." Sonic nods & follows behind Riku as he heads into the Mansion.

Once inside they found a few more heartless(?) looking monsters, except this time the monsters inside of the Mansion looked more like light candles except they had eyes, & were a light purple color. "What kind of creatures are these King Sonic?" Riku asked looking around at them as the monsters fled when ever either he or King Sonic tried to get near them, Sonic says; "What ever these things are, they certainly aren't heartless. They run off when ever we get too close to them. Oh hey, are we close yet?" Sonic asked pointing to the device in Riku's hand. Riku who'd almost forgotten why they had even come to the Mansion said; "Oh yea. Sorry about that."

Looking at the device he says; "We need to go down those stairs." Sonic nods & leads the way down the stairs to a door, which Riku opens. Once open the door, they find themselves in a huge looking Inn. There was a huge underhand that they ducked a bit under & found a grand entry. On the left side; Riku saw an infirmary then about 5 steps away from the entry to the infirmary he spotted a pair of stairs that go up a few flight of stairs. To the immediate front of him & King Sonic he saw a red carpet leading the way into a grand looking dinning hall, as behind the dinning hall he saw the words; Entertainment center above a room behind the dinning hall. Curious Riku looked down at the scanning device that King Sonic had given him & it told him to go forwards. So nodding he says; "We need to keep going." Sonic understood to followed at his side, making their way through the dining hall all the way to the back of the Entertainment center, all the way to where some bath houses seemed to be located. Until Riku looked to see the scanning device pointing to the left of the bath houses. Following the directions of the device, they came to the end of the grand looking inn.. But at the door, in front of it stood a very tall & imposing woman who had her arms crossed in front of her. She worse a red looking dress that reminded Riku of a phoenix tail really as he looked at it. Her dark curly hair was all the way down to her shoulders as she asked looking from Riku to King Sonic; "Now, where exactly do the both of you think your going?" Riku looked to the tall imposing woman & asked her, even though he had almost recognized her from the start some how he had yet to understand; "Who are you?" The tall woman only chuckles to say; "Well I see you've forgotten me again.. My name is Queen Universal & you two shouldn't be here quite yet.. It's not time for your arrival, not yet." Riku looked to King Sonic to ask him; "Do you know her?" Sonic stood there & thought a minute as his eyes grew large he nods & says; "Yea! I know her, she's the one who put the Princess to sleep!"

Riku's brows furrowed as he looked to Queen who stood before him & King Sonic. As he burst out asking suddenly; "Why why did you put her to sleep in the first place?" With a bit of anger in his voice, though after he asked it he shook his head to ask with his right hand to his forehead a bit confused as to why he'd been so angry before.. "Wait.. Why am I so angry all of a sudden.. What's going on here & why can't I remember.. Why you seem to know me?" Riku asks looking suddenly to Queen who still had her arms crossed & a knowing smile on her face. She walks up to Riku & says; "Easy, because she made you forget about me. She didn't want you angry at me for what had to be done."

Riku asked; "Wait.. What am I forgetting?" 

Queen said shaking her head to shrug her arms; "Everything.. You're just down to you, King Sonic & those loyal to him.. Every one.. Everything else after you closed the door to light with King Sonic & after was forgotten.." She sighed. 

"Wait, I remember everything! I closed the door leading to light to help protect the world of light from the darkness that was deep inside the world of light. I even defeated Xagmen, the one who turned every one's hearts into bio-forms. He was the one who made me question my loyalty to the King.. I remember everything very clearly." Riku told Queen in a matter of fact way. Stepping close to her he says; "And for one I don't remember meeting you nor this Princess that King Sonic told me that we have to awaken: until now." 

Queen just chuckles & says with a smile; "As you say." To step out of his way as the door behind her opened. Riku smiled & said; "King Sonic, the signal is getting stronger just beyond the open door there! Come on!" 

Sonic nods & looks over to Queen to ask; "What was that all about? I thought you'd try to stop us.." 

Queen just grins & says; "It seems you to have forgotten about my prior role. In time you'll remember.. But hopefully you'll remember in just enough time before she has to take your memory of me away again." ;3 With her words said she waves to the King & walks off. Sonic looks forwards & sees that Riku is already way ahead of him so he speeds up using his legendary speed skills & in moments he's at Riku's side who's already made his way deep into an odd looking chamber.. It was as big as a bed room but in the middle of the bed room of all white stood a sleeping woman. She had short black curly hair that seemed to be blowing in some unknown or felt wind that lifted her hair into the air. Her white dress with a bit of gold at the top near her bosom shimmered ever so slightly; as the hilt of her dress fluttered ever so elegantly in the slight breeze. But what was off about her, was that in the middle of her forehead was the symbol of a golden looking triangle that seemed to glow each time she breathed out. Looking to her, she was breathtaking.. 

Riku asked a bit taken back by her beauty; "King Sonic.. Who.. Who is she?" 

King Sonic just smiled & said; "An old friend." Walking up to where she floated in midair King Sonic put his arms out to catch her & scooped her up into his arms & when he did so, she breathed as if she'd come out from being inside a terrible nightmare. Opening her eyes she sees Sonic & smiles to lay her right hand on his face to say; "S.. Sonic.. You've come.. After so long." 

Sonic just smiles & says; "Sorry it took us so long to get you out of here Princess. We better get going before old Xagmen's system goes off." 

She nods & stands as she says; "We better move then.. I thought I saw two men in here earlier as I was resting. They left some sort of data disc before they left though." She tells King Sonic to rush over & push a sequence of blue buttons to then retrieve a data disc from out of the white wall. She pockets it & says; "For now I'll hold onto this until we can get some place safe to get a good look at what's on this disc. We better hurry!" 

Sonic nods & picks her up to look over to Riku who has already placed speed boots on over top of his normal shoes; "Then you've got it!" Hunkering down with the Princess in his arms, He & Riku raced out of the Manson long before it started to sound alarms & at the last minute as they made it out of the Manson, the whole Manson collapsed in on itself completely leaving an empty space of white behind where it once used to sit. 

**Chapter Two** : The heartless(?)

Outside of the Manson, Sonic sat her down next to the passed out heartless monster that still had swirling eyes. Seeing it, the Princess picked it up into her arms to say; "Oh you poor thing! What happened to you!"

Riku says; "Princess be careful that's a heartless monster!"

The Princess looks from Riku to Sonic to say with a sigh; "No it's not a heartless monster! His is a POKEMON! It's called a Chandelure. It's not a heartless monster at all. Didn't you guys notice the Litwick & Lamperts that you had to pass in order to get out from the Mansion?"

They both looked to her in confusion as she sighs to say; "These 'monsters' won't hurt us is what I'm trying to tell you here." 

"Ohhhh." They both said in unison as they finally understood what she was trying to tell them. 

Sighing deeply the princess looks to the hurt Chandelure to give it a spray of potion. It wakes up a few moments later to spin around her & say it's name happily; "Chande! Chandelure!" 

She giggles & says; "Your very welcome. I'm sorry my friends mistook you for a heartless." 

The Chandelure just comes close to her & rubs it's face on her to lick her & she laughs to say; "Ok, ok you can come with me if you want to." As the Chandelure spun around happily & she hugged it gently. She smiled to look from Riku to Sonic to say with a grin; "Ok now that, that's done.. Where can we go to read the data disc I grabbed before we left from the Mansion?" 

Riku looks to Sonic & says; "It'll have to be some where in Twilight Town because Tails still hasn't caught up from us since you told me he was fixing on the gummy ship when we got here." 

Sonic snaps his fingers & says with a wide grin on his face; "Hey that's our answer! We can go to Cid & I'm sure he'll help us! Come on let's head back to Twilight Town & ask around I'm sure we'll find him some where in town." Sonic winked with a wide grin on his face. 

[ **1** ] Shadow arrives 

_Else where in Twilight Town- Outside of where the Mansion used to be._ Namine bent over to catch her breath as she leaned onto the gate for support.. From what she could tell, she had arrived too late.. The princess was sure to be awake by now..

"I have to catch up to them..." Namine says looking around as she tries to get a sense of where Riku & King Sonic could have taken her to next.

"Wait!" The Princess says noticing Namine; "Why don't we ask her where Cid is?" Sonic & Riku exchanged glances with each other as the Princess stood to walk over to where Namine stood as Sonic asked her; "Um, excuse me could you tell us where Cid is miss?"

Namine was relieved to have found every one so early, but they seemed to have forgotten her which shocked her.. "You guys.. Come on it's me Namine! All of you know me!" She told them; sighing she nods says; "But yes I know where Cid is, he's currently talking with Cecil about the heartless that have been popping up around town.. They're both currently in the Inn in the 3rd area of Twilight town. You'll find them talking upstairs. Come on, I can show you where.." She told them smiling.

Sonic looks to Riku to ask him quietly; "Do you remember her?" Riku shakes his head to say; "No, but I was just about to ask you the same question.." Sonic asks; "You think we can trust her?" Riku nods & says; "Yea, she seems like she won't hurt the Princess." 

Walking up to where Namine stood Riku nods & says grasping onto Princess Meri's hand in his right one; "Please go ahead & lead the way. We'll follow right behind you." 

Namine nods & says; "Come on this way! She says as she lead the group through town towards the area where the train station was located; leading them towards the 3rd area door which was to the left of the train station. As they headed that way; the group then is approached by Shadow who had come in from another area of Twilight Town on the train. Sighing he walks past all of the others; until he spots Princess Meri among them. Smiling, he walks over & says kneeling at her feet; to then stand with a slight smile: "Princess! Wow, it's been forever since I last saw you. Where are you going? And who are these people with you?" 

Princess Meri just giggled & said after she hugged Shadow; "Still the same old Shadow." Looking from Riku to Sonic she says to him; "These are my friends, Riku, & King Sonic.. The blond leading us is Namine.. What are you doing here Shadow?" She asked him curiously with her head tilted to the right slightly with a kind smile on her lips. 

Shadow says folding his arms to lean to the left slightly after sighing deeply; "I came here because I heard a rumor that one of Xagmen's drones was in the area.. And.. I wanted to see you again to warn you. But I had heard you were in a deep sleep; I'm glad to see that your not."

Meri looked away from him to say a bit embarrassed; "Actually. I was. I had to recover from the battle I had against the root of why Xagman has turned to evil... At one time., Xagman was good & had been turned to good by King Sonic with my & Sora's help.. But when the kingdom suddenly became saturated by nightmare mist; Xagman turned against us & so too did those who were loyal to him. The nightmare mist had been kept at bay by my mother Rainbow's magic.. Until Maxry used his dark arts to place my mother into a deep sleep riddled with nightmares.. Who had at one time been trained by my mother's master Orion's understudy; Laciter.. Being trained in the dark arts as Laciter was learning on his own long before meeting Master Orion; Maxry wanted to learn the art for his own evil intentions.." Meri sighed.

Shadow; "Yes." Turning away from her he says; "The intention of corrupting this world with nightmares & to have it for himself. But.. What I think he most wanted.. Was you Princess." Shadow says turning back to look at her. Meri nods to say; "I feel the same as you do. Even when I spoke to Nirex; his best friend.. Even he felt the same. But Nirex was too lost in Maxry's demented idea to have been turned.. I thought he could be turned & we could have a new ally against Maxry but it wasn't to be. I wish at least we could get Auron back... Auron was the one who informed me of everything that happened. I just don't understand why he turned against us.. More so towards Lady Queen really." 

Shadow just laughs to reply as he rolled his spine in his finger; "Ha! I understand fully why he turned against Lady Queen. He's clearly in love with her; but she married another. It broke his heart; thus why he turned against her. You don't need a crystal ball to figure that mess out." 

"Even so.. Auron now calls himself Ronaux and wears a blindfold as Nirex does.." Sighing she says; "At any rate; were on or way to see Cid.. Would you like to come with us old friend?" 

Shadow looks to the group and just outright laughs doubling over; "Thanks but no." Walking up to Meri he takes her hand to kiss it and say gently; "Not right now. I have something to tend to. But I promise when next we meet that I won't leave from your side Princess." As what he said made Meri blush up a storm as he tip toed to kiss her on her cheek he looks from Sonic to Riku to laugh and say waving at them; "Later." To walk off deeper towards Twilight Town as Meri and her group were headed towards the train station. 

Meri says; "Ok Namine; lead on then." Namine nods & asks looking where Shadow walked off towards; "What's his problem?" 

As Sonic says with a slight sigh; "That's just the way Shadow is. Don't let it get to you; I don't." 

Right as the group arrives in front of the train station to see Cid just outside of it talking with Cecil; as Namine said he would be prior. 

"Hey there you all are." Cid declared as he says laughing; "I was about to send Cecil after the lot of you." 

"Why?" Sonic asked; as Namine chimed in; "Yea what's going on?" 

"Well.." Cid began; "A new development has come to light! I now know where Sora is sleeping!" Cid told them all with a wink & a wide grin on his face. 

"Really?" Asked Meri; as Sora has been asleep since he was the one who had saved her from the brunt of the nightmare mist effecting her. Though her mother was the one to take on the majority of the mist; Sora had saved her when it started slinking towards her.. 

Cid nods to say; "Indeed. Come on I'll explain on the way into the station." He winked again as Namine asked; "Wait what about the heartless problem?" 

As Cecil says at her side; "Well seeing that I have a keyblade now I can deal with them. So why don't you guys deal with waking Sora up & I'll deal with the heartless!" He declared winking at Namine who just rolled her eyes to say; "Cecil you can't deal with all of those heartless alone & how did you get a keyblade any way? I thought only responsible people like King Sonic, Riku, & Sora had one." 

"Well now I have one! It was given to me by Tails himself!" Cecil said with a big grin as Namine crosses her arms to say; "You know I think it's sexist that only boys have a keyblade and a girl doesn't have one then! Humph!" .; 

As Meri giggled to say; "Actually I use a keyblade too. I just tend to use magic over it the majority of the time though." 

Sonic just laughs to nod & say; "Yea she's right." 

Namine; "WHAT? Oh now that isn't fair! I want to use a keyblade too!" D: 

As Tails says meeting them; "Ok then you can use my experimental one! I've been developing it for some time now!" 

Sonic smiles to say with his arms behind his head as every one came to a stop right in front of where the train had come in with Tails coming out of it; "Took you long enough to catch up to us Tails." 

Tails just smiled awkwardly to say; "Sorry about that." ^^; "I had a few matters to deal with. So good to see every one!" ^_^ Turning to Cid he says; "But we need to get going before Sora is moved. It seems every time we find him; he gets moved shortly after. So we need to get going & NOW." 

Nodding in agreement Meri asks; "What do you need us to do?" 

"Just come with me. We need to get on board the train it's programmed to take us where Sora's been sleeping. Come on; let's hurry!" Tails says as Sonic replies; "You guys go ahead I'll need to talk to Cid about fixing our gummy ship. Don't worry I can always catch up to you guys." Winking he says with a chuckle; "They don't call me the blue blur for nothing!" 

Meri nods to bend down & hug him to say; "Ok you be careful Sonic." To stand as Sonic places his forefinger underneath his nose to say; "Hey don't worry it's me here." 

While Meri grins to say; "That's what worries me the most." She chuckled. Tails says; "Come on you guys we're ready to go!" 

Nodding to Tails; Meri then kisses Sonic on his forehead to run and catch up to Riku, & Namine as Cid, Cecil & King Sonic all stayed behind. 

Sonic waves to them as he says; "Take care!" 

Tails nods to say; "Don't worry I'll watch over these guys for ya!"

Sonic: "Yea but that's what worries me!"

Just as the train pulled away on board the passenger car; Meri watched from the window as Sonic, Cid & Cecil vanished from her view. Looking at Twilight Town as the train moved on the rails above it; Meri saw Shadow looking out over the horizon to then grin & leap towards the ground. Meri lost track of where Shadow ran off towards as the train made it's way past Twilight Town towards a far away castle that appeared over the horizons.

 **Chapter Three** : Organization[?]

"Took you long enough to get here." Ronaux said as he sat at the bottom of a stair case as Shadow just stood his ground to cross his arms and look to the cement ground; "Look I came to meet you here because were old friends & used to work towards the same goal. I owed you one from before. That's it. Don't think I'm getting mixed up in this crazy game that Nirex is playing here. Making the Princess think that it's Maxry who's in love with her when the truth is that Nirex is; is just ludicrous." Shadow humphed. As Ronaux just smiled to ask with a slight chuckle; "Yet you've yet to tell her this truth. I think if anyone; your the one who'd the most deepest in love with her my friend." Which of course make Shadow blush a deep red; coughing as he cringed a bit he says; "Look weather I have feelings for her or not is irrelevant. What's most important is that she stays safe." Looking up over to where Ronaux sat up leaning in towards his knees he asked him; "So tell me why did you call me here for exactly?"

Ronaux smiled to stand up & hold out his right hand; emerging from it he showed a black & white keyblade with shimmering spikes close towards the blade. "I've come to deliver this blade to you. You lost it in the battle against Laciter if I remember right."

As Shadow looked to the blade in shock to ask looking to Ronaux; "How? Where did you find that? I thought that Laciter destroyed it.."

Ronaux shook his head to say; "What was created by your desire to protect the Princess can not be destroyed. This keyblade was created from your desire to protect her & thus when Laciter knocked it out of your hands he made you believe that he destroyed it.. But that was far from the truth; as he made you see what he wanted you to see. He's a master illusionist & wilder of the dark arts. Shadow.." Ronaux began as he lowered the keyblade in his hand; "The game that Nirex is playing is far from what you think it is. The truth is that Xagmen would have turned against all of us; it just happened sooner then later is all. Maxry was used as a pawn in order for Nirex to show his true intentions. Nirex.." He sighed turning away from Shadow as his face looked to the concrete ground; "None of us intended for Rainbow to get harmed; let alone killed. We all loved her; for some of us she was our Queen. For others she was like our own mother. For that; I am sorry. Nirex is sorry. But.. We have to play this out; Xagmen is only a small part of everything that's going on.. Because weather we like it or not; the darkness isn't controlled by Xagmen; it only increases his powers.. Nirex & I think that behind the darkness lies Laciter's powers & true form.. But it won't take form for some time as it has only been freed since Rainbow last defeated him & was able to lock him away due to her magic."

Shadow looked away from Ronaux to say; "Look what ever the deal is I don't care. I just want to know why you called me here. Did you call me here to give me my keyblade or to tell me things I already knew?"

As Ronaux turned to face Shadow; he was actually pretty surprised that Shadow seemed on the up & up with what was going on with Nirex & what was going on in their Organization[?]. Taking off the blindfold around his eyes he walks over to Shadow to hand him his keyblade to say; "There's far more to it then that. I fear for Nirex now; I fear for what he may do in order to push our Princess into a fight against what is left of Laciter's darkness in order to free Xagmen of it's grip over him. I fear that the darkness may have started to even effect him. Shadow... I wanted to meet with you because.. I want to join back up with you & help to protect the Princess. I know that it might be impossible to do because of what happened in the past.. But.. Please; let me side with you in your quest to protect her. She's all the hope we have left if we wish to save this world from the grip of Laciter's darkness."

As Shadow looked down to his keyblade he grabbed it from Ronaux to ask him; "Then is your name Auron again?"

He nods to say; "If you think I deserve the name I once had; then I don't mind going back to my old name." As Shadow focused on his sword he found that it light up as it had before with his passion & power. Smiling he then made the keyblade disappear as he looks up to Auron to nod his head after placing a hand on his right shoulder; "I think that Meri will be glad to have you back on our side once again. But what of Nirex? Won't he be upset you abandoned him?"

Auron just laughed & shook his head to say; "No; I told him I was through playing his games. In the end; I foresaw what his plan could entail & I disagreed with it. I just choose what I thought the right course of action was. Yes I left because I fel spurred by Lady Queen marrying another but in the end it's my own fault for not letting her know how I felt for her. I was stupid to have let her slip through my fingers & now I've paid for it with her marrying another. Should I find another who I loved as much as I did Queen I'll be sure she knows it before I loose her too."

Shadow smiled to nod & say; "Good, now don't go causing a scene when we go & visit her & her love's home. We need to speak with them to know where Meri & the others are heading.. I think it'd be best that we tell her your back with us now before things get increasingly worse."

Nodding Auron says; "Indeed so; & don't worry I'll do my best to behave as best as I'm able." He chuckled to nod over to Shadow; "Now please; lead on my friend."

[ **1** ] Enter Queen Amy

Arriving at the next station.. Er area? Meri guessed as she looked around to notice that the train had taken them to the top of a floating island where a huge castle lay made her very curious. As Namine & Tails exited at her side she asked looking to Tails; "What is this place?" As Tails says with a laugh & slight wink as his right hand finger swivels over towards her; "Oh you'll see soon enough."

Eventually the group made it past the grounds part of the castle & some huge double doors as he smiled widely to shout; "HEY AMY! ARE YOU HERE!?"

As a moment later Amy comes out from one of the door ways wearing a white dress. She had a crown on her head & she sees Tails to smile at the others first... But the facade lasts for all of two seconds as she tears the dress off into the air to rush over & tackle Tails in a hug. "Hey! Where's my husband Kingy Sonic poo; Tails?" As Tails laughed nervously to say looking over to Meri; "You see I told you; you'd see where we were in a minute." Removing himself from Amy's almost death grip on him in a slight wriggle he says; "Queen Amy this is Princess Meri; the daughter of Queen Rainbow who's magic prevented the darkness to seep into all worlds. Princess Meri this is King Sonic's wife Queen Amy." 

Meri turned to Amy to say to her with a nod of her head; "It's nice to meet you Queen Amy.. I was told that Sora was found asleep recently. If he's here now; could you please show us to where he is?"

Amy sighed to cross her arms & say; "Well I don't know. With out Sonic here how will I know if your the real Princess Knight or not? I mean I had a girl show up just the other day claiming that she IS you. Oh hey; she's still!" Amy chirped happily; "Did you wanna meet her? Then maybe you can both duke it out & see who wins or um something!" Amy suggested in a slight giggle.

"What?!" Meri asked clearly flabbergasted; "Well she's clearly a fake! I can PROVE beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'm unicornian royalty!" As she moved her soft curls away from her forehead to show the mark of the unicorn on her forehead; a crescent moon over top of a star.

"This is my proof that I am Rainbow's daughter. My mother bore the symbol of the star where my father Darien bore the symbol of the crescent. Together; it proves that I'm their daughter."

As Amy looked it over she says rolling one of her spikes with her finger, as Sonic would; "Well I don't know.. The man she came here with claims to be Darien Knight. So he'll have to clarify things. Come on." She sighed; to lead them towards the castle. Namine walked up to Meri's side to say to her; "Don't worry I know who you say you are. Who ever these people are; they're probably fakes trying to get some beneficial treatment! Which just isn't right." She humphed. Meri smiled to say with a kind smile on her face; "Thank you.. It means a lot to me; that you believe me."

Tails says with his arms crossed; "I have no idea what's going on. I was here just not even 3 days ago & I never even heard anything from Amy or Sonic to lead me to believe there could be a claim of a fake Princess. Ugh; this is all getting to be way too complicated." He sighed deeply; as Amy happily lead them through one of the doors leading into the castle. Once inside the group stops as they see a young woman & a man standing near the throne as Amy says; "Oh hey guys. Looks like another young woman here is claiming to be the Unicornian Princess just like you told me would happen!" Amy laughed. It was when the man & woman turned that the girl with him looked NOTHING like Meri AT ALL. She had long flowing black hair & deep set green eyes that shimmered under the lights. The man with her only chuckled as he says with a slight grin; "But of course." The false Darien declared; "I told you this would happen." As he turned to smile at her; it was then that Meri recognized who he was. "Xagmen!" As his dark red hair & nice black suit that he wore tipped her off. She shouted with her right arm out as her right finger pointer right at him; "What are you scheming with this poor girl claiming that she's me! And you look NOTHING like my father!" She told him as Xagmen just laughed to say; "Aww it seems I've been found out." As he used his dark powers to hover the woman in the slave collar over to where he stood to say; "But it's too bad I'm not able to introduce you to Terra's daughter. Shame really. You both have exactly the same light.. I wonder why that is." As he smiled darkly he levitated into the air to fly off to say; "Do say hello to Sora for me when you see him; hmm?" As a moment later Xagmen & the mysterious woman both vanished from view.

Tails says; "Oh no what if he was able to find Sora before we were able to get to him! Come on you guys! Let's go! Clearly Xagmen tried to pull one over on us!" But when he went to check on Amy she seemed to have been knocked out; to show that she was a mere robot. "Oh no! He replaced Amy with a robot! Now he's got Amy too! Come on we HAVE to check & make sure Sora's safe!"

Nodding; both Meri & Namine followed Tails racing through the castle; to a secret chamber where he used a code after a false plate moved out of the way. Once the code cleared; a hidden door appeared to open up as the three ran into the huge control room. Once inside; they found Sora asleep inside a white chamber. Walking up to him; Tails sighed relieved to find Sora was still asleep inside; "Whew! Good to know that Xagmen didn't find where I had placed Sora earlier."

 **Chapter Four** : I must be dreaming 

(Evanescence song: Bleed: I must be dreaming)

 _How can I pretend that I don't see_

_What you hide so carelessly?_

 _I saw her bleed_

 _You heard me breathe_

 _And I froze inside myself_

 _And turned away_

 _I must be dreaming_

 _We all live_

 _We all die_

 _That does not begin to justify you_

 _It's not what it seems_

 _Not what you think_

 _No, I must be dreaming_

 _It's only in my mind_

 _Not in real life_

 _No, I must be dreaming_

 _Help you know I've got to tell someone_

 _Tell them what I know you've done_

 _I fear you but spoken fears can come true_

 _We all live_

 _We all die_

 _That does not begin to justify you_

 _It's not what it seems_

 _Not what you think_

 _No, I must be dreaming_

 _It's only in my mind_

 _Not in real life_

 _No, I must be dreaming_

 _We all live and_

 _We all die but_

 _That does not begin to justify you_

 _It's not what it seems_

 _Not what you think_

 _No, I must be dreaming_

 _It's only in my mind_

 _Not in real life_

 _No, I must be dreaming_

 _Not what it seems_

 _Not what you think_

 _I must be dreaming_

 _Just in my mind_

 _Not in real life_

 _I must be dreaming._

Walking up to where Sora was sleeping, Meri noticed that his form seemed to look human but.. He didn't seem to look quite normal to her eyes. Nearing where he was sleeping as she tried to figure out what she was seeing..When suddenly she had a flash of Sora attacking her aunt Queen. Putting her right hand to her forehead she had another flash of seeing her aunt bleeding from Sora attacking her & he wasn't human, but more of a monster with the form of Sora.

"What.. Is this I'm remembering?" She asked herself in a whisper. Closing her eyes as she couldn't seem to really focus on what was going on because; everything seemed wrong somehow to her.

Looking to Tails she asks him; "Do.. Do you remember any of the battle that happened before I awoke?"

Tails shook his head to say; "No, the only thing I remember is King Sonic & Riku going off to close off the door to darkness. If there was a battle during that time I don't know anything about it." He told her honestly. "Why did.. Did you remember something?" Turning around to look back at Sora; she wasn't too sure. Shaking her head she says; "I don't know really. It was a flash of something. But.. I'm not sure of it's real or a nightmare. And what I saw, scared me."

Thinking a moment Tails replies; "Not much seemed to happen when the door to darkness closed ; thou not many of King Sonic's loyal subjects remember much after he & Riku went through the door to darkness in order to close it. It's like all of us were made to forget what happened during that time.. On purpose."

Meri shook her head to say; "I don't remember much either, so your not the only one. I just hope that the flash of what I saw was all in my mind, & not real life. I just hope that it was just a memory of a dream." :/

 **[1] "Stop it."**

Said Shadow from the door way leading into the basement where Tails had taken her to; "Stop looking at him." Turning around Meri noticed Shadow who walked in holding his right arm with his left & limping. He had been in some sort of battle & he didn't look so good. running over to him she says; "Shadow." To catch him before he fell to the floor; "What happened? Your in terrible shape." D:

"Feh." Shadow half laughed; "I'm not the only one who got out of Twilight Town with out a scrape. The others King Sonic left behind are in far worse shape then I. But, Leon & his group rescued them so they're ok. I had to come here.. To warn you Princess that.. You have to get off of this world."

"But Shadow, why?" Meri asked him; placing a hand on her cheek he says; "Because out of all these wretches on this world; your the only one I want to see stay safe." He smiled looking into her deep emerald green eyes to suddenly faint in her arms.

"SHADOW!" Meri yelled with tears in her eyes. Hugging him to her she says; "I won't leave this world.. At least not with out you! You have to come with me. You've always watched over & protected me. It's only fair that I do the same.." She wept; hugging him tighter; "For you."

Her tears touched upon his body as they each shimmered & shone. her tears started to then heal him & at the last looking to Shadow in her arms he lifted above her healing completely. Landing on his feet before her; his red eyes opened to look into hers.

Placing his hand on her face she smiled to hug him & say; "I love you so much. I'm glad your ok."

Shadow smiles to say; "I know. But that's why you have to get out of here. With out me.. Your love.." He looks away from her & down at his left foot to say; "Your love for me will only get you killed."

"I don't care." Meri told him; "I'd rather die a thousand times over.. Then ever lose you." She told him; placing her right hand on his cheek to turn him towards her. "I will always love you; my Shadow knight." She giggled; to kiss him very softly on his lips. Blushing; Shadow turns from her to say; "No.. You can never love me. I'm not worthy of you.. Or our love." He told her turning from her again.

"It doesn't matter." Meri said smiling; "Because I love you already." She grinned; which made Shadow turn to her & just laugh. "Alright; you win." Looking over to Tails he asks; "Where's the ship? I need to get her out of here."

Tails says; "It's in the docking bay. Here; I'll show you the way."

Nodding Shadow grabbed Meri's hand in hers; as Tails lead the way out of the basement towards the stairs. Heading up; he took them to a silver area & hit a button on the side of the wall to open up a HUGE room with a even larger ship inside. Taking them up to the docking bay where in it a gummy ship awaited them, Tails says; "It's all ready to go. All you need to do in order to fuel it is use happiness."

Nodding Shadow says; "Thanks." Leading Meri into the ship he says; "Come on!" Once inside the ship; he sets a course for it & after she sits down next to him he pilots the ship out of the docking bay. Once clear of the docking bay; the gummy ship Enterprise as Cid had named it left from the world of Twilight behind.

"Where do we go now?" Meri asked him curiously as Shadow says; "Where ever your father ran off to. Where ever he is; it has to be safer then here.."

"Shadow..?" Meri began as he drove the gummy ship Enterprise; Shadow didn't look away from piloting as she continued on to ask him all the while blushing a beet red color on her cheeks;

"Why are you protecting me for?" Sighing Shadow says; "I have to. Your the last of the light for this universe.. If anything happens to you.. All hope for any kind of peace.. Is lost." He told her honestly. "Then.. Your only protecting me because it's your duty & not out of love.. Aren't you?"

She asked him with tears in her eyes. Shadow just sighed deeply again to say; "Truthfully. Yes, I have been since I arrived in Twilight Town looking for you." Nodding Meri looked away to say; "I figured." To ask looking out at the stars before them; "Do.. You think you could have ever loved some one like me?" 

Shrugging Shadow says; "I don't know. Maybe if we'd been given a fair chance. But after I rescued you from the fight against heartless Sora & your aunt that you had tried to stop.. You were almost dead." He revealed to her; "Sora tore you in half with his darkness & you refused to let him any where near your aunt. Your aunt was the one who restored you to the way you were & made every one forget what happened.. Forget that Riku was the one who refused to fight against his best friend who became lost.. Lost with in his own darkness in order to save Riku!" 

"What?!" Meri asked; "Wasn't it Sora who fought for the side of light?" Meri asked a bit befuddled.

Shadow says nodding; "Yes, at first Sora fought for the side of light. That is.. Until Nirex's master Maxry made him see that Riku wasn't going to ever walk the same path as he.. When that happened. Everything fell apart; Roxus was born... And then; when Sonic went to close the door to darkness; the moment the door closed: I was born."

"Born of Sonic's darkness; yet serving the light. Still: why? If you get nothing out of it?" Meri asked him with a curious look on her face.

"Because it's my duty. It's all I've known since appearing at your side; I knew the moment I saw you that.. I had to rescue you & to keep you safe. Anything else that was going on wasn't of my concern." Shadow told her; "Looks like we've arrived." He told her to show them approaching a huge spaceship that looked like a huge black piece of pizza; until Meri realized what it was; "That's.. An Emperial Star Destroyer! What would my father be doing piloting that thing?"

Shadow says; "Since he stole it from them during the battle against Nirex & a few of his minions." He told her with a smile.

Meri still didn't believe him & shook her head to say; "No. I don't believe you! This is some sort of trick!" She had by that time stood up from her chair & gotten over to the teleporter of the gummy ship; punching in some random numbers she looks over to Shadow to say to him; "You will never make me a pawn of the dark side!"

To step onto the teleporter & moments later; as Shadow stands up to shout; "NO! WAIT! PRINCESS! STOP!" A moment too late; as her figure vanished with in the light of the teleportation device. "ARGH! DANG IT!" Shadow fumes to pound his fists onto the control panel; his anger becoming more then he can handle he changes suddenly after shouting: "CHAOS CONTROL!" The ship immediately teleporting him out of it & out into space; in about the same location that the Princess had transported herself to earlier.

 **Chapter 5** : Nirex's plan starts to unfold.

"She's left from Shadow's side." A shadowed figure told Nirex who just smiles to say with a nod of his head; "About time. I was starting to wonder when she'd start to think for herself instead of being lead around by that hedgehog defect." He snorted. "Looks like it's time to show my hand." Nodding the shadowed figure says; "Be careful; Shadow maybe a defect but she'll still fight to defend him." To which Nirex just snorts a laugh to say; "Not if he doesn't love her she won't." Smiling, he leaves from the laboratory heading outside & onto a huge mech. Once on board the mech, he started it up & transformed it into a space ship heading to where Shadow & the Princess had gone off to as he'd placed a tracking device in the floppy he had left in her hands.

"Now, let's see just what happens when I arrive & tell Shadow's precious princess the truth of everything that happened before she woke up." He grinned darkly in anticipation of his destination.

-to be continued...


End file.
